New rules requiring greater scrutiny of applicants from five countries have landed Japanese-language schools with that little bit more paperwork.
In February, the Immigration Bureau announced tightened rules starting in July for Japanese-language schools admitting students from Vietnam, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The rules, which apply to schools that in 2015 had more than 10 students from the five countries expelled or drop out for any reason, require that new applicants from those countries submit additional proof of their financial means as part of their applications. About half of the nation's 549 Japanese-language schools must now follow the stricter prerequisites.
Until this year, language school applicants had to submit only a bank statement showing they had access to sufficient funds to study in Japan. Under the new rule, students from the five countries must provide additional information about account deposits and withdrawals.
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